Moro National Liberation Front founding chairman Nur Misuari brushed aside the Aquino government’s threat to file rebellion charges against him for his supposed role in the standoff in
Misuari’s reaction was relayed by MNLF spokesman Absalom Cerveza, who said that Misuari was not bothered by reports that the Justice Department is set to file rebellion charges against the MNLF chairman.
Cerveza said Misuari even dared the government to arrest him.
At the same time, Cerveza said that MNLF forces are close to occupying the heart of Zamboanga, saying that they are “expanding the war” in the city.
“The city is on the brink of control of MNLF forces,” said Cerveza, whose claim contradicts the military’s statement that the MNLF rebels are on the run and only a few remained in “constricted” areas.
Cerveza said he and Misuari talked about the threat of rebellion charges, among other topics related to the ongoing conflict in Zamboanga.
The standoff between government forces and MNLF rebels entered its 16th day Tuesday, with authorities reporting that they had arrested an MNLF commander and seven other ‘Misuari followers’ early Tuesday.
Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas identified the arrested MNLF commander as Salip Idjal, reportedly one of the lieutenants under Commander Habier Malik.
Idjal and seven of his companions were arrested in Barangay Sta. Catalina, Zamboanga City at around 8 a.m.
The eight were reportedly among the 14 arrested by government troops, but after a tactical interrogation, authorities confirmed that six were civilians, including four that were held hostage during the height of the crisis.
The military said Idjal held at least 20 civilian hostages in the boundary of Sta. Catalina and Sta. Barabara during the first day of clearing operations.
The other commanders who joined Malik were Commander Ener Misuari, who is holding 87 hostages; Commander Usong Uggong with 20 hostages; and Commander Asamin Hussin with an undetermined number of hostages. Malik himself held 20 hostages.
The military maintained that Malik is still inside one of the “constriction” areas as government troops continue to engage the rebels in “close-quarter-battles.
Earlier reports said Malik had already escaped to Sulu with some of his lieutenants.
Cerveza confirmed that Malik is still inside the city, and that his group is moving towards the “heart” of the city.
“The udstadz (Malik) is moving towards the heart of the city and with the escalation of skirmishes and other places, Zambo is on the brink of control of the MNLF,” Cerveza said.
“The war will be expanding,” added Cerveza, as he denied reports that Malik is on the run.
“They are not on the run. They are just within the area of conflict, Cerveza said as three motor bancas, reportedly MNLF reinforcements, arrived three days ago at a pier in Labuan village.
“They landed near San Ramos Penal Colony in Brgy Labuan northeast of Zamboanga City,” Cerveza said.
Military public affairs head Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala, meanwhile, said six more hostages were rescued after the capture of Idjal and his men.
Zagala said soldiers also caught one of Idjal’s men who tried to escape by running into the mangrove area during the operation.
Zagala described the close-quarter-battles as very dangerous for government troopers as they go from house-to-house and room-to-room inside the constriction areas.
He, however, refused to give details the size of the area where the soldiers are conducting their search.
The military and the police said they are looking to finish off the MNLF fighters who had remained holed out in the area by the weekend.
In a related development, Zagala said they had arrested five soldiers and sent them to the stockade after they admitted to looting valuables from the house of Councilor BG Guingona in Zamboanga City.
Zagala did not release the names of the soldiersm but said that they were all young and enlisted personnel.
He said the “misbehavior” of the soldiers were reported by fellow soldiers who claimed they saw the suspects loot the house of Guingona while in the middle of the fighting on September 20 in Barangay Sta. Catalina.
Zagala said the soldiers returned their loot such as guns and personal items.
Zagala said the soldiers “They will undergo due process and undergo court martial proceedings for the things they have done. The chief of staff, Gen. Bautista, will not tolerate such misbehavior. This is a breach of discipline,” Zagala said.
Cerveza, meanwhile, refuted claims by the military that MNLF burned houses in Sta. Barbara, Sta. Catalina and Rio Hondo, saying that it was the government forces who set the fires at the height of the fighting.
“The burning was sparked by air strikes and the soldiers burned the houses to clear the area of MNLF rebels,” Cerveza said. ““Nasa loob ka ng bahay mo pagkatapos susunugin mo ba?,”
Meanwhile, Hataman said he received reports that Misuari is in one of the islands of Sulu and has been there since the Zambaonga City crisis started.
“We received reliable information that he (Misuari) is hiding in one of the islands in Sulu. The government only wants to ensure that he will not slip away from the country so that he would be made accountable for the Zamboanga siege. The government is building a very strong case. I believe the government has an airtight case against him,” Hataman said.
http://manilastandardtoday.com/2013/09/25/nur-dares-govt-to-arrest-him-file-rebellion-charges/
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